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Windows 7: Windows Easy Transfer Question

I am using Windows Easy Transfer to transfer my settings/data from my existing Windows 7 64-bit machine to a new one I will be building tomorrow. For what I can transfer I get two (2) options. The first is my User Account (which makes sense). The second is called simply "Public". "Public" is 560GB in size! My entire HDD is only 480GB unformatted. In Properties, Windows shows my HDD is only 210GB in used space in its entirety. Anyone have any idea what "Public" might be? At this juncture I am simply not going to include it. I have a copy of everything on my HDD so if anything turns up missing I wills simply copy it over manually.

It isn't the data I am worried about (I always do wind up copying that manually) rather all of the various settings for Windows and my applications. With all due respect, that part of Easy File Transfer is a godsend. For me, that's the most bothersome part of upgrading or reinstalling and it has only gotten worse with each iteration of Windows. In the beginning (old Windows or Windows 95/98) it was pretty darned simple to copy everything manually. Then it got a little more complicated with XP and its user profiles. Worse still with Vista. Now with Windows 7 I honestly am not 100% certain I even know where everything is anymore between user, default, and public profiles and local, local low, and roaming folders within each (not to mention those silly redundant "public" and non-public folders). Then we have a dozen or so non-user-specific folders where program information and settings might be kept. The Easy Transfer program seems to do a good job with that stuff.

That's another reason why it should be done manually. You'll be reinstalling applications anyway, so why take the risk? Windows 7 doesn't really need much tweaking and customizing anyway. A total, clean install can be done in well under 2 hours, if you prep ahead of time...such as having all new drivers on a flash drive ready to go. Aside from user created data, there's nothing you should want brought over to a new computer.

I'm a firm believer in the thinking that a new computer should be just that...new...with with nothing "old" brought over to it. New installs, mean new and updated versions of the applications and drivers. Plus, if this is a brand new computer, OEM or prebuilt, you'll typically be doing the test install. Many of us install Windows 7 on a new system, and then use the grace period to test out new drivers and apps. Once we are happy, or sufficiently tested, we wipe the drive, install Windows 7 again, using only the desired driver versions and apps. I do this on any new system, just so I am happy and comfortable with how the drivers are running. I don't want hidden issues from multiple drivers revisions on a clean install. Same goes for remnants of apps. I'm done to about an hour and 45 mins for a total, from a blank drive, clean install so it is well worth my time to do this once per system.

Windows Easy Transfer questionHello,
I am trying to reinstall windows 32 bit on my mother's netbook as the repair person she took it to in Tunisia installed a non legit copy of windows 7 professional in French, so thats a double no no.
What I wanted to do is to use Window Easy Transfer to migrate her files to my laptop,...

General Discussion

Windows Easy Transfer QuestionI just bought a new computer and was going to use Windows Easy Transfer to transfer, documents, pictures, music, program settings, Windows settings as well as other settings to the new computer, so I was wondering if transfer the program and Windows settings will affect anything on the new computer.

Software

Windows Easy Transfer questionHi all,
A quote from the kb of Easy Transfer:
Which settings does Easy Transfer exactly copy? Are all the settings you can find in the Control Panel among them?
Thanks
~Propa

Installation & Setup

Easy transfer question.I am installing a retail version of Windows 7 Pro tomorrow to replace the RC version on my laptop. If I use easy tranfer to transfer files and settings, does it effect any registry settings on my new setup, or is it stricly files and setting like favorites, passwords, etc? I have tweaked a few...